A MURDER accused told police “I just can’t believe that he’s going to die, I’m so sorry” as he admitted an attack on a Redcar dad.

George Thomas Jnr, 52, said to officers “I just blew a fuse, I just went stupid” and claimed he acted alone and was solely responsible for John Newton’s fatal injuries, Teesside Crown Court heard.

He said: “It was me. I’m very sorry that he’s going to die. I didn’t mean for it to happen. It was only me and me alone.”

A detective had just told him: “You’ve already admitted responsibility for causing the injuries to that man. That man’s life support machine has been turned off. That man is going to die.”

Thomas is one of five men who all deny the kidnap and murder of Mr Newton, 45, following the loss of life savings by Thomas’ father, 77-year-old George Thomas Snr.

The prosecution say Mr Newton was bundled into a van outside his Redcar flat, taken to a deserted area in Nunthorpe and beaten on March 19. He died from his injuries two days later.

A jury yesterday heard of George Jnr’s police interviews the day after the assault.

He told officers: “If you’d done your job properly to begin with then none of this would have been done.”

When asked what happened, he said: “Just went into his house, got him, hit him and took him back home. Simple as that.”

George Thomas Jnr, of Charlbury Road, Pallister Park, Middlesbrough, said he went to Mr Newton’s home looking for the men he believed responsible for stealing a safe containing £23,000 from his father.

He said he overturned furniture, then took Mr Newton in his van to a field where he hit him trying to get him to “tell the truth”.